In various sports applications, it may be beneficial for coaches and players to view images from previous games or previous plays of a game in progress to better execute the plays or to better defend against an opponent's plays. Currently, video cameras and printers may be used to view images from previous plays. For example, National Football League™ teams may bring video cameras and video printers to each game. Cameras may be placed above the end zone and sidelines. Printers may be placed on the respective team's sidelines and in the coaches' booth. Each video camera signal output may be connected to one or more sideline printers and to coaches' printers. During each play, a system operator may hit a button to print a thermal image of the play for each camera. Both the sideline and the booth may receive the same printout, label the play, and place it in a binder to save the printout for review. The printers often take about one minute to print, thereby only allowing one print per play. The printouts may be used to show play formation and play action to facilitate game-time coaching and strategic options. Coaches may show the photos to players during games to suggest changes or after the game to assist in analysis of a team's performance.
The printers may print color pictures or monochrome printouts. The printers often take from 10-90 seconds to print, and for color prints, the printers may require 60 seconds or more to print. The pixel resolution of the printouts may be 403×403 with limited image quality, and the cameras may provide limited features, such as those afforded by an optical glass zoom. Telestration allows a person reviewing video or still images on an electronic viewing medium to draw or write freehand notes and sketches associated with the displayed image(s). To provide Telestration, a coach may mark up the print manually with a marker. If coaches wish to collaborate, they are often limited to communicating via additional audio means to supplement the paper printout. The prints are manually labeled to show each play, and the prints are cataloged manually, such as by filing the prints in separate binders.
The systems and methods currently available have significant limitations with regard to the speed at which a picture may be viewed, the speed at which an image may be printed, the image quality of the print, and the ability to enhance the print using Telestration, labeling, cataloging, and other collaboration options. Efforts to date to improve the ability of such video recording and playback systems for sports applications do not provide immediate retrieval and viewing of the captured sports event data. Previously available systems have been largely unsuccessful in providing a cost-effective manner of storing and playing back sports event data that allows easy and rapid viewing and printing of the recorded data. Efforts aimed at improving the ability of coaches to monitor sporting events and discrete aspects of the events have been extremely labor-intense and have not provided a satisfactory return on the amount of resources expended. What is needed is a system and a method for recording and playing back desired aspects of a sporting event that avoids the shortcomings of previous systems.